Other Common Names
Purplish-brown Looper (larva)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Eutrapela clemataria (J.E. Smith, 1797)
Numbers
The only species in this genus in North America
Size
Wingspan 38-56 mm; female larger than male
(1)Identification
Adult: wings brownish-gray or mottled brown against yellowish-tan ground color; forewing PM line, fine, mostly straight, turning sharply back toward costa, the short upper section curving inward; hindwing outer margin gently scalloped or wavy [adapted from description by Charles Covell
(1)] (see variations in Remarks section below)
Larva: early instar - body very dark brown, almost black; later instars - body greenish or tan to dark purplish-brown with conspicuously swollen second thoracic segment, marked with orange or red; blackish dorsal protuberances on fourth and eighth abdominal segments; setal bases often light orange; spiracles small, tan to orange, rimmed with black [adapted from description by Pedro Barbosa and David Wagner & Valerie Giles]
Range
Eastern North America: Nova Scotia to Florida
(2), west to Texas
(3), north to Saskatchewan.
Habitat
Deciduous and mixed woodlands; adults are nocturnal and come to light.
Season
The main flight period is March to August; year round in southern states.
Food
The larvae feed on leaves of ash, basswood, birch, elm, fir, maple, poplar, willow, and other trees.
Life Cycle
Two generations per year.
Eggs; larva; larva; larva; pupa; adult
Remarks
Variations of Curved-tooth Geometer
See Also
Large Maple Spanworm (
Prochoerodes lineola) outer margins of wings angular with shallow point near middle, not scalloped or wavy; short upper section of forewing PM line (near costa) curves outward, not inward (
compare images of both species at CBIF)
Juniper Geometer (
Patalene olyzonaria),
Confused Eusarca (
Eusarca confusaria), and species of
Oxydia have a smoothly rounded hindwing outer margin, not scalloped or wavy
species of Synaxis and Tetracis have a completely straight PM line on forewing, not bent near costa
Print References
Covell, p. 372, plate 55 #1
(1)
Wagner,
Caterpillars of Eastern North America, p. 191
(4)Internet References
live adult images and dates (Larry Line, Maryland)
distribution in Canada list of provinces (CBIF)